Single Publication

Incident Commander:  Bill Waln, Incident Commander  

Location:  10 miles southwest of Wise River, MT 

Start Date: 7/25/2024  

Cause: Undetermined 

Size: 4,149 acres  

Containment: 5% 

Resources on Site: 3 hotshot crews; 2 type 2 hand crews; 11 engines; 2 skidgens; 1 dozer 

Total Personnel:  303 

KEY MESSAGES:  

Firefighters and emergency personnel appreciate everyone in the area taking extra precautions and driving slowly along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway. Over the weekend, expect intermittent delays and heavy equipment traffic on the byway as crews work to reduce fuels along the route. 

Recent cooler temperatures and moisture over the fire have slowed fire activity and allowed ground and air resources to be available to assist should any new fires start in the area. However, as the weather warms, expect an increase in both fire behavior and smoke in the coming weeks.  

Current Status/PLANNED ACTIONS:   

Firefighters plan to complete the shaded fuel break along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway in the next couple of days. This fuel break is an effective tool to help mitigate hazards and reduce the potential for the fire to spread beyond the break. The structure protection group continues to make significant progress, reinforcing existing protective measures around homes, testing water pumps and sprinklers they have installed, and monitoring for any hot spots. They are also conducting additional structure assessments along the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway up to Harriet Lou Creek Road to develop a long-term structure protection plan for the area to use in the future. 

Crews are mopping up, strengthening handlines, and searching for hot spots along Pettengill Creek Road. They will continue to work along the ridge north of Pettengill Road as weather permits and where terrain is accessible. Fire managers will continue to focus on keeping the fire contained along the ridge south of the main Stine Creek drainage as they develop a long-term strategy for this area. Updated mapping and data from the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) will guide strategy and management decisions. Crews will also continue mopping up and reinforcing control lines in the Reservoir Creek drainage.  

Weather and Fire Behavior: 

It will be mostly cloudy with higher humidities and cooler temperatures ranging from the high 50s to high 60s depending on elevation. Showers and thunderstorms moving from the southwest to the northeast are likely from 12:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. tonight, bringing potential wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Otherwise, winds will remain light throughout the day. 

CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS: 

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has issued an Area/Road/Trail Closure (Closure #01-02-03-24-05) effective July 31, 2024. This Order is for public and firefighter safety during fire suppression efforts of the Grouse Fire. Closure information and maps are posted on the Forests’ website and the fire’s Inciweb page as they are in place. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtbdf-grouse. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. 

The Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Campfires are allowed only in a permanent metal fire grate/ring provided by the Forest Service in a designated, developed recreation site. Smoking is restricted to vehicles, in buildings, or in an area clear of flammable materials. Devices with an on/off switch that use LPG fuels are allowed in an area clear of flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.